INKEY$ Function
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------


 Action

 Returns a character from the keyboard or some other standard input device.


 Syntax

  INKEY$


 Remarks

 The  INKEY$ function returns a 1- or 2-byte string that contains a character
 read from the standard input device, which usually is the keyboard. A null
 string is returned if there is no character to return. A one-character
 string contains the actual character read from the standard input device,
 while a two-character string indicates an extended code, the first character
 of which is hexadecimal 00. For a complete list of these codes, see Appendix
 A, "Keyboard Scan Codes and ASCII Character Codes."

 The character returned by the  INKEY$ function is never displayed on the
 screen; instead, all characters are passed through to the program except for
 these key combinations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Character     Running under QBX              Stand-alone .EXE file
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Ctrl+Break    Halts program execution.       Halts program execution if
                                              compiled with the -D option;
                                              otherwise, passed through to
                                              program.,

 Ctrl+NumLock  Causes program execution to    Same as running under QBX if
               pause until a key is pressed;  compiled with the -D option;
 Character     Running under QBX              Stand-alone .EXE file
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
               pause until a key is pressed;  compiled with the -D option;
               then the next key pressed is   otherwise, it is ignored (the
               passed through to the program.  program does not pause and no
                                              keystroke is passed).

 Shift+PrtSc   Prints the screen contents.    Prints the screen contents.

 Ctrl+Alt+Del  Reboots the system.            Reboots the system.


 If you have assigned a string to a function key using the  KEY statement and
 you press that function key when  INKEY$ is waiting for a keystroke,  INKEY$
 passes the string to the program. Enabled keystroke trapping takes
 precedence over the  INKEY$ function.

 When you use  INKEY$ with ISAM programs, BASIC performs implicit  CHECKPOINT
 operations to minimize data loss in the event of a power failure. The
 CHECKPOINT is performed if  INKEY$ fails to successfully retrieve a
 character after 65,535 calls, and 20 seconds has expired. A  CHECKPOINT
 writes open database buffers to disk.


 Example

 The following example shows a common use of  INKEY$. The program pauses
 until the user presses a key.

 PRINT "Press any key to continue..."


 DO


 LOOP WHILE INKEY$=""